Electro-magnetic ore-separator



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

G. W. MANSFIELD.

ELECTED MAGNETIU ORE SEPARATOR.

Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

Mme sow $0 N. PETERS, FhmmLilhngfilphei, Washington. D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. W. MANSFIELD. ELEGTRO MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATORQ No. 359,085. Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

N. wnzns. Photo-Ulhugraphur, Wnhinglon, o c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \VHITE MANSFIELD, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ORE-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,085, dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed September 7, 1886. Serial No. 212,907. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE WHITE Mans FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and Myinvention relates to apparatus commonly known as magnetic ore separators.

It has for its object the construction of an apparatus that shall be simple, inexpensive, and effective in removing iron or other magnetic ore from an ore containing gold.

The invention consists in a rotating conical table having lines of magnetism impart-ed thereto by magnets located beneath the same and having the circuits of such magnets so controlled that the magnetic particles will be held upon the table while the gold is washed off of the same, and having these magnets so governed by the operation of the machine itself that the magnetic or iron particles will be let off of the table at a certain point, thus freeing the table of such particles as it reach es this point in its rotation. The ore is let into one side of a partitioned hood above the conical table, and water is let into the other side of such partition-hood, and is spread out upon the same, whence it washes over the rotary table; and it consists, also, in the arrangement of circuits governing such magnets and in circuit-controlling devices or con'imutators in combination wit-h such circuits, operating as hereinafter to be described; and it consists further, in my peculiar form of magnets for use with the above apparatus and in the details of construction, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters are used to indicate the same parts throughout the various views, Figure 1 rep resents an elevation of my apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan. view of Fig. l with the top portion of the apparatus removed; and Fig. 3 a diagrammatic view of the circuits and the commutators for controlling the same.

T represents a rotary conical table, which maybe made of non-magnetic material, and which is supported in any suitable way by a shaft, S, which rotates it. Under this conical table are continuous annular plates of iron, upon which are legs of iron extending upward, which are wound with coils of wire. The magnet-coils are of different heights, to com pensate for the incline of the conical table, and the aforesaid legs are provided at their ends with circular pieces of magnetic mate rial, which extend one-eighth of a circumference, but may be made of any length desired.

These circular pieces, forming the polepieces of the magnets, are inclined to correspond with the incline of the conical table. They may be fixed to the conical table in any way desired. The conical table may support the magnets and continuous plates if stout enough, or the continuous plates bearing the magnets may support the conical table by radial non-magnetic arms extending to the shaft S.

Above the conical table T, I arrange a hood,

H, supported from the frame F of the apparatus. The hood consists of an inclined por tion, and bears two collars, C, which are concentric with the shaft, but permit the same to be rotated within it. The hood has two radial partitions, p p, to divide it in the manner shown and for the purpose to be described. These partitions may be arranged spirally or in any other way.

At the upper end of the shaft S is shown a pulley, P, for rotating the conical table T.

The ore is let in by a trough, 0, to thesmallest portion of the partition between the collars C, and the water is let into the larger portion of the partition by a pipe, w, which is circularly arranged above its partition, and has holes underneath it to allow the water to fall regularly in said partition. By means of the perforations in the lower part of the outer collar the ore gravitates upon the stationary hood H, and the water also is spread out over the hood before it reaches the conical table.

I provide at the edge of the conical table more or less water-tight, the grains of gold will gravitate to the bottom, and the surplus of water will flow over the edge of the trough.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an arrangement of magnets and circuits which may be used. I do not wish, however, to confine myself to any number of magnets or to any particular number oflines of magnetism about my rotating conical table. I design in practieeto use more circles of magnets than those shown, the latter serving merely to illustrate my invention. I have shown but four circles of magnetism and two continuous iron plates forming the yokepiece of the magnets, the one plate serving to form the yoke of a multiplicity of magnets. The like poles of the magnets are joined together by circular pieces one-eighth of the circumference, but may be made of any length.

These pole-pieces joining the magnets are represented in the figures by a s, and n s representing also their polarities.

The inner circles of magnetism. are controlled by a commutator, O, and the outer circles by commutator 0 both of which may be located upon the shaft S or be independently mounted and rotated by the shaft. Both of these commutators have eight series of sections. The former is arranged to intermittently and momentarily break the circuit of the mag nets of the inner circles, so as to allow the magnetic particles to gravitate upon the table from one circle of magnetism to the next below, but not interrupting the circuit long enough to permit the gravity or the water to carry them much beyond one step at a time. Around this commutator is a spiral band of insulation, which is so arranged that it breaks once in each rotation the circuit of the magnets connected with each series for a considerable period of time, and corresponds with a break in the circuits governed by the commu tator G which will now be described, and which has eight sections, the other commutator having a broad brush, a resting upon all the series, and a return-brush, b bearing 7 upon acontinuous strip, these two correspond ing with the brushes (0 b of the commutator G. The commutator G is continuous in all the series of sections 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, except at a portion of each where there is insulation to produce a prolonged break in the last circles of magnetism when the table reaches a certain point. The insulation in commutator O is arranged in a spiral manner around the cylinder, so that only one series of magnets is broken at a time. The commutators are in multiple arc, and may be supplied from the same battery.

The conical table T is divided in eight mag netic sectors, S S S, &c. In each of these sectors is arranged any number of magnets, those in the first sector, S, being controlled by a commutator-strip, 1, and those in the sector S being controlled by the commutator-strip 2. I have only shown a few of these circuits, so as to prevent confusion. The diagram in Fig. 3 will show the paths taken by the current, and will therefore need no detailed description. The conical table may be divided into any number of sectors that are found to be necessary.

It will be observed that it is necessary to keep intact the circuits of the magnets of the last circles of magnetism, inasmuch as, were the last circles of magnetism intermittently broken, part of the iron ore would gravitate into the goldtrough, and that it becomes necessary to free the conical table of iron ore at least at each revolution. This can only be done by making a prolonged break in the circuits of the magnets in the different sectors as they reach a given point. I arrange to have each sector of magnetism cut out successively'as they pass a given point.

1n the diagram the sector S is shown as cut out of circuit. The brushes aa" are shown resting at their upper end upon an insulatingspace upon each commutator as the table rotates, carrying the commutators with it. The next sector cut out will be S, and the previous one will be put in circuit. This operation will go on until one revolution is completed and until each sector of magnetism has been destroyed long enough to allow the iron particles in said sector to gravitate off of the the conical table into the trough I. Independently, however, of this prolonged break the commutator 0 gives an intermittent momentary break to the inner circles of magnetism, so as to allow the magnetic portion of the ore to gravitate from one circular magnetism to that below.

The commutator 0 may be used to control all the circles of magnetism except the last one, for which it is necessary to provide some other means of controlling the circuits in order to obviate the trouble above alluded to. These commutators may be located anywhere along the shaft S. I have shown the same as located near the lower end of the shaft, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1. They may be located side by side or separated any dis- Only the commutator C is shown in tance.

Fig. 1. r r e The conical table may be made in steps instead of being inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lines of force due to the magnets may be arranged spirally or in any manner around and about the disk which will be found convenient and efficacious.

Instead of providing a trough to catch the gold, the conical table may be made of copper which is amalgamated with mercury, and

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which, as the gold gravitates over it, will form an amalgam with the gold, which may be scraped off after operating the apparatus for some while and treated in any of the wellknown ways of treating such amalgams.

Having now fully set forth my invention and explained the principle upon which it operates, I desire to make it known that I do not wish to limit it to the specific form of mechanism shown, as the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I reserve the right in practice to make all changes that fallwithin the scope of what I now desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent, which is- 1. A magnetic ore-separator consisting of a rotary conical table having circles of temporary magnetism imparted thereto by electro-magnets and a commutator for cuttingout of circuit eleetro-magnets in successive sectors of the conical table as the apparatus rotates for temporarily destroying the magnetism at a given point, for the purpose set forth.

2. A magnetic ore-separator comprising a conical table having circles of magnetism imparted thereto by magnets and a commutator controlling the circuit for modifying the magnets located in the successive sectors of the conical table as they pass a given point, for the purpose specified.

8. A magnetic ore-separator comprising a revolving conical table having magnetism imparted thereto by magnets, a shaft carrying the same, a stationary hood above the conical table and surrounding the aforesaid shaft upon which the ore is fed, and commutators upon the shalt for controlling the magnetism, for the purpose described.

4. A magnetic ore-separator for an admixture of gold, iron, &c., consisting of a rotating conical table of non-magnetic material, magnets for imparting circular fields of force therearound, and a commutator controlling the circuit of the magnets in successive sectors of the conical table for governing said magnets, as specified.

5. A magnetic oreseparator for an admixture of gold, iron, &c., consisting of a rotating conical table of non-magnetic material, magnets thereunder for giving fields of force to said conical table, a stationary hood above the conical table about its shaft, collars surrounding the latter, the outer one of which is perforated, radial partitions dividing the space between the latter and dividing also the hood, means for letting the ore into one side of the partitions between the collars and water into the other side, whereby the ore and water are spread out upon the hood before reaching the conical rotating table, and commutators governin g the aforesaid fields of force, for the purpose set forth. 7

6. A magnetic ore-separator for an admixture of gold, iron, &c., or other ore, consisting of a rotating conical table of non-magnetic material, magnets thereunder producing fields of force for said table, a stationary inclined hood above the conical table about its shaft, two col lars surrounding the latter, the outer one of which is perforated, partitions dividing the space between the latter and dividing also the hood, means for letting the ore into one side of the partitions between the two collars and water into the other side thereof, whereby the ore and water are spread out upon the hood before reaching the rotating conical table, two circular troughs or other means for catching the ore when separated, located below and near the outer periphery of said conical table, and means for so modifying the magnetism that the magnetic portion of the ore will be let off only at a given point of the conical table, as set forth.

7. A magnetic ore-separator having two or more circles of magnetism imparted to a conical rotating table and means for intermittently making and destroying the magnetism of the inner circles to allow the magnetic particles to gravitate from one circle of magnetism to the next below, and devices for modifying the last circle of magnetism only at a given point and the other circles of magnetism also at that point, so as to clear the conical table of magnetic particles at said point.

8. A magnetic ore-separator having concentric circles of magnetism and means for washing off the non-magnetic or gold particles and holding thereon the magnetic or iron parti cles, and commutators automatically controlled by the operation of the apparatus for controlling the circuits to modify the magnetism to free the apparatus of the magnetic or iron particles at a given point, substantially as described.

9. A magnet adapted to be used with the abovedescribed apparatus,consisting of a continuous annular plate with a multiplicity of legs in sets of two extending therefrom, coils wound about the latter, each of said sets being located on the same side of the center of said annulus and forming a complete magnet in itself, the annular plate serving as a yoke- -piece common to them all.

10. Amagnet adapted to be used with the above-dcscribed apparatus, consisting of a continuous annular plate forming the yoke thereof, with a multiplicity of legs extending therefrom, coils wound about the latter, and magnetic circular piccesjoining the ends or like poles of said legs in groups of any desired number.

11. The combination, in a magnetic ore-separator, of the comniutators O G in multiple are, circuits leading from the sections of each, a series of magnets in each of said circuits, a conical rotary table or other device to which said magnets are attached and arranged in any suitable manner, and upon which the ore and water are fed, all operating substantially as described.

12. A multiplicity of series of magnets arranged in any suitable manner around and about a conical rotary table or other device of non-magnetic material, upon which the ore is IO rim, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand and seal, this 4th day of September, 1886, in the presence of the two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE WHITE MANSFIELD. [L. S.]

Witnesses:

A. O. FOWLER, i SAML. G. FOWLER. 

